A trail in the snow – and safety across borders

A lone footprint leads through the snow to a remote Carbfix CO₂ injection site. Far from populated areas, surrounded by a rugged landscape and ever-changing weather conditions.

The image makes a powerful point: those working here are often far from their nearest team member. Visibility and communication range are quickly limited. This makes a safety solution that doesn't end at a single site or national border all the more important.

That is exactly why Climeworks relies on the Uepaa Safety App for its international operations.

Where it began in Hinwil

The partnership between Climeworks and Uepaa began several years ago in Hinwil. That is where the Swiss company commissioned its first commercial direct air capture plant in 2017.

Using direct air capture technology, CO₂ is filtered directly from the air. It can then be permanently stored or used for other applications.

Even back then, working on technical systems, performing maintenance, and tasks outside the immediate vicinity of the team were part of everyday life. The first employees were therefore protected with the Uepaa app for lone working.

Since then, not only the facilities but also the areas of operation and the number of protected employees have grown continuously.

From Orca to Mammoth

2021 saw the arrival of Orca in Hellisheiði, the world's first direct air capture and storage plant of this scale. Orca was designed for a capture capacity of up to 4,000 tons of CO₂ per year.

The CO₂ filtered from the air is handed over to the Icelandic partner Carbfix. Carbfix injects the CO₂ into deep basalt formations, where it is mineralized through natural processes and permanently bound in solid rock.

In May 2024, Climeworks reached its next milestone: Mammoth began operations. Also located in Hellisheiði, the facility is about ten times larger than Orca. It was designed for a nominal capture capacity of up to 36,000 tons of CO₂ per year and is currently ramping up operations.

As the facilities have grown, the protection of employees has been steadily expanded.

Lone working on a new scale

International operations place unique demands on workplace safety. Especially at remote facilities, employees may occasionally work alone—for example, during inspections, maintenance, technical testing, or work on Climeworks and Carbfix infrastructure.

Added to this are long distances, extreme weather conditions, and work sites where traditional safety mechanisms like visual contact or direct verbal communication are not reliable.

In such situations, a safety solution must be mobile, location-independent, and capable of international deployment.

Uepaa for international operations

The Uepaa Safety App runs directly on employees' existing smartphones, allowing it to be used across national and site borders.

Key features include:

✅ Digital dead-man's switch compliant with Suva 44094
✅ Automatic alerting if there is no response
✅ Digital buddy system via geo-casting
✅ International alerting and rescue coordination
✅ Bring Your Own Device for Android and iOS

This allows the safety solution to accompany employees wherever their work takes them—in Hinwil just as much as at the expansive facilities in Iceland.

Safety that grows with you

Climeworks is continuously advancing its technology: from the first commercial plant in Switzerland to Orca, and now to Mammoth, the largest direct air capture and storage facility to date.

The protection of their employees has followed this same path.

We are very pleased to have supported Climeworks for several years and to contribute to the safety of their international teams with our solution. After all, lone working cannot always be avoided, especially in remote locations. But it can be made safe digitally, regardless of location or national borders.

We wish the entire Climeworks team continued safe and accident-free operations—in Switzerland, in Iceland, and wherever the next facilities are built.

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